13 MORE simple comforts to reduce STRESS

Adele Stickland

In last weeks Blog we discussed the effects of stress on your long-term health. How rushing around all day, creates stress which you try to relieve by treating yourself with a well-earned pack of biscuits, tub of ice cream or a large glass of vino. All of which are fully deserved but create more stress.

Stress is creating a vicious circle, a repeating cycle that gets your jobs done but keeps your stress levels high. You may think that this has simply short-term consequences on your health and well being but instead, it has a long-term effect.

Feeding your own personalised version of stress cycle is going to stop one day. You can’t go on at this level of intensity so it will stop. How will it stop, what changes are you making to slow down your thinking?

Perhaps you have told yourself that your stress will abate once the cat had left home or the dog finally learns how to feed itself? I am being facetious, but you know what I mean, you will change your priorities and get healthier when some distance objective or target is met. Let’s be honest, the objective is never going to be met, so start now. Change the way you think and the way you deal with life’s little challenges right now. TAKE ACTION. It doesn’t have to be full on, life-changing action, small steps turn into big transformations.

Last week I introduced 9 ways you can change your life slowly which will reduce your stress load. The implication being that once you unburden yourself a bit of a time you won’t be so inclined to reach for the family pack of Maltesers. I do appreciate that this sounds too simple, in the modern world of the quick fix, modern attitude of ‘get it done’, a radical overall of your life is what you think is needed.

However from experience of working with gorgeous girls from all walks of life, getting it done is one approach which works some of the time and being a practical person is a philosophy I love. BUT aren’t most of us are stoked already. Busy and full to the brim with work, stress and life. If I give you one more job, one more dramatic overhaul I have learnt from experience, it ain’t going to happen.

Nurturing, kindness and a gentle kick up the bum is what I specialise in. A cheerleader for your success, hand-holding and guidance. Changes don’t happen overnight, you can’t become a Zen master of meditation on day one, and yet you can start to be aware of your actions and more importantly your thoughts. I coach the gorgeous girls to be aware of their choices, don’t criticise them, simply raise your awareness. The transformation will follow.

Taking on board that change starts slow and transformations come from acorns here are another few options to consider when going through your busy schedule to help you to reduce your stress and glimpse at the bigger picture which is your health and weight loss will follow.

What you can do to release your daily stress

1. Meditation

A simple technique that, if practised for as few as 10 minutes each day, can help you control stress, decrease your anxiety and interestingly your improve cardiovascular health. You will also achieve a greater capacity for relaxation. You will rewire your brain, learn a habit and your brain will follow that habit more easily.

I know you are going to roll your eyes at me, yeah yeah I know that but where on earth do I do that or fit that in? My suggestion would be to use a meditation app like Omvana.com, Headspace or Google some others. I listen to mine in the car. Look out for my ‘anxiety meditation’ on the next blog

2. Accept the things you can’t change Changing difficult past situations isn’t possible. Instead, every time you have a flashback to a past ‘traumas’ let it go, release your sadness and resentment. Traumas come in all shapes and sizes – mine can be flashbacks to a drunken conversation 20 years ago. REALLY? Yup, I am still holding onto some of that.

Sit with your trauma. I appreciate your issues may be a bit weightier than mine, but look at what comes up. Spend time and send yourself love.

3. Concentrate on the things you do have control over.

Johnny has forgotten his homework or the dog has a sore foot. What can you do? Be practical and wise and of course get some help.

4. Understand your body’s capacity for self-repair

Once you know that your body has a remarkable capacity for self-repair, you can reclaim your inner wisdom and power. You can work with the healer within yourself. In moments of stress ‘fake it until you make it’.

“I am a calm, I am worry free.”

Pretend! Pretend and walk away to the toilet and visualise green trees and open space.

Following on from ‘pretending’, be assured that there is a solution to any problem. If you remain passive, thinking, ‘I can’t do anything about my problem’, your stress will get worse, that feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing. The act of taking control is, in itself empowering, and it’s a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else. Again I appreciate that sounds like a sweeping statement, unobtainable when you are in the middle of a crisis. PRETEND! Pretend that it is going it is going to work out, don’t look at the SH1T that you are in, look at the future. Visualise your outcome.

A friend of mine Jenny was worried this week about her house renovations and the local Planning Department. She couldn’t look at the situation, because what if everything falls through, what if her dream doesn’t happen? How would she cope with that huge failure? But you will cope and you will succeed.

Pretend! Pretend that it HAS worked out, visualise your new bedroom, kitchen, workspace. Your brain will rewire and make this happen for you.

6. Connect with people A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way. If you don’t connect with people, you won’t have support to turn to when you need help. The activities you do with friends will help you to relax. Having a good laugh with someone is an excellent stress reliever. Talking things through with like-minded people will also help you find solutions to your problems simply because you are hearing your own voice outing your concerns.

7. Have some ‘me time’ Here in the UK, we work the longest hours in Europe, meaning we often don’t spend enough time doing things we really enjoy. Take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise, set aside a couple of nights a week for some quality “me time” away from work. By earmarking those two days, it means you won’t be tempted to work overtime.

8. Challenge yourself Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, for instance, how about attending a new class or learn a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. This will help you deal with stress. By continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person. It arms you with knowledge and makes you want to do things rather than be passive, such as watching TV all the time.

9. Avoid unhealthy habits Don’t rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. “Men more than women are likely to do this. This is referred to as avoidance behaviour, instead, seek support from a social circle. Over the long term, these crutches won’t solve your problems. They’ll just create new ones. Tackle the cause of your stress.

10. Help other people Evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient. The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel. If you don’t have time to volunteer, try to do someone a favour every day. It can be something as small as helping someone to cross the road or going on a coffee run for colleagues. Throwing a stranger a smile.

11. Work smarter, not harder Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference. Leave the least important tasks to last and accept that your in-tray will always be full. Don’t expect it to be empty at the end of the day.”

12. Be positive Look for the positives in life and things for which you are grateful. Write down three things that went well, or for which you’re grateful, at the end of every day.

13. Exercise Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you’re feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you to deal with your problems more calmly. Yet exercise is always low on your to-do list, especially when you are tired. Plan your exercise first and work your day around it.

Gorgeous Girls on my Premier programme work with me and get their goals set and mindset strong and focused in under 90 days with my proven methods and nutritional habits. Calm thoughts and better nutrition and exercise mean that stress levels are reduced and their day becomes clearer.

You and I can talk through your health blocks, understand what is pulling you away from your health goals. By the end of the call, you’ll know exactly what you need to do get your health goals in place. Once you are clear on that, we can discuss ways that I can help you to get your plan your health strategy in easy steps.

We may decide to work together to help you reach your weight loss goals successfully – and if so great – if not then that’s okay too. You’ll still have a clear plan to move your life forward.

Gail felt shame and guilt around her food choices, she felt out of control. She had the information on how to eat better and how to feel better but she needed to be part of something that was and guidance. Working together Gail began to identify her binge eating was caused by boredom and feeling overwhelmed with her work and family. She now eats intuitively and nourishes her body. she has now found a new direction and changed her life

Trying to do too much at once was overwhelming so she concentrated on the nutrition and worked towards increasing her exercise.

Gail’s results include:

Listening to her body and intuitive rather than mindless eating.

“Not stuffing her face” because she is eating emotionally

Thinking of her day as a whole instead of moving from one meal or snack to another.

Binge eating under control, she has identified she ate out of boredom and feeling overwhelmed emotionally or eating because she wanted to put things off.

Feelings of shame around her behaviour have gone.

Initially, Gail delayed starting the programme because she was scared of failing and she didn’t think she could do it, she didn’t eat of hunger,

Feeling full from proper food rather than eating because she was bored.

The mental load has been lifted there is no longer point counting, or weighing things, or have I had enough of this? Looking back that was such a waste of time.